Venetian blind type solar heater

ABSTRACT

A venetian blind type solar heater. The top outer half of the slats are coated with a heat absorbing material while the rest of the slats are coated with a non-heat absorbing material. Thermal conduction in the metal slats heats the entire slat. The distance between the slats are half the width of the slat so that the slats overlap. The number of slats increases thereby increasing the total surface area available for heat transfer to the inside room air by convection and thermal radiation. When the orientation of the slats are reversed the heat absorbing surface area is shielded from outside solar radiation and any stray inside room radiation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] A need for a solar heater that is inexpensive, simple to operate, efficient at transferring heat and aesthetically pleasing resulted in the development of this device.

[0002] Prior art reveals considerable effort in field of Venetian blind solar heaters. U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,159 is one of many efforts.

[0003] Yet with a known technology and high heating costs solar heaters have not been accepted and used by the general public at large.

[0004] Prior art reveals problems with efficiency and possibly more important for acceptance by the public the aesthetics of the solar heaters.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A solar heater of venetian blind type. Heat absorbing coating is applied to slats on the top outer half so that the slat is evenly divided between heat absorbing and non heat absorbing.

[0006] Thermal conduction of the metal slats means the entire slat does not have to be exposed to solar radiation to be useful for heat exchange in room air.

[0007] Additional slats added to achieve proper overlapping increases surface area of heat exchange.

[0008] Heat absorbing surface is shielded from stray thermal radiation from inside the room during summer operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0009]FIG. 1 Is a top view of a single slat

[0010]FIG. 2 Is a bottom view of a single slat

[0011]FIG. 3 Is an exploded partial view

[0012]FIG. 4 Is a side view of slats in the heat mode

[0013]FIG. 5 Is a side view of slats in the non-heating mode

[0014]FIG. 6 Is a frontal view

In the drawings, corresponding parts are referenced by similar numerals throughout. Figures are not drawn to scale. Mechanisms of common construction are not shown to increase clarity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In an embodiment of this invention, FIGS. 1-2, a metal slat has a heat absorbing coating 1 applied to the top outer half of each slat. The coating is applied on one half the width of the slat. The remaining surface area of the slat has no heat absorbing surface 2.

[0016] Thermal conductance of the metal causes areas that are not directly exposed to solar radiation to increase in temperature.

[0017] The spacing of the slats FIG. 3 in relation to each other 3 is half the width of the slats. This allows for an overlapping of the slats so that each slat is covered half of its width by the preceeding slat. The result of this overlapping is a continuous surface of heat absorbing material available for exposure to solar radiation.

[0018] A side view FIG. 4 of the slats in a heat absorbing position relative to the direction of the solar radiation 5 shows the positioning of the heat absorbing and non-heat absorbing areas. The non heat absorbing 2 surface is exposed to the inside of the room 6.

[0019] The slats are held in place by typical venetian blind mechanisms. The slats are typically rotated and controlled by an upper mechanism 4 mounted at the top of the window in the usual fashion of venetian blind installation.

[0020] When heat is not desired the slats are rotated to a position similar to that shown in FIG. 5 where the heat absorbing 1 surface is shielded from solar radiation 5 and the non-heat absorbing surface is again exposed to the inside of the room 6.

[0021] An increase in the number of slats necessary to achieve proper overlap results in more surface area available for the transfer of heat. The air surrounding the slats are heated and a convection action occurs. The heated air is diffused into the room air by the slats.

[0022] The non-heat absorbing area of the slats that is exposed to room can be a variety of light colors if the typical white color is not desired. This should increase the acceptance and use by the public.

[0023] The heat absorbing coating is usually a flat black color that would be unappealing if exposed to the inside of the room.

[0024] An outside view would be similar to that shown in FIG. 6 shown without typical venetian blind mechanisms for purposes of clarity.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment the slats would be a heavier gauge than normally found in a,conventional venetian blind to increase heat retention during temporary cloud coverage. This allows for consistent operation.

[0026] A further improvement would be to insure that the slats surface area on the bottom side of the heat absorbing surface area were to always be of a light color. The rest of the slats surface area could be of any color. The bottom half of the heat absorbing area is not exposed to the inside of room. 

What I claim as my invention:
 1. A solar collector that provides shielding of the solar radiation absorbing surface area while improving heat transfer to inside room air. Said collector being metal slats coated with a heat absorbing material on the top outer half of said slat.
 2. The collector as recited in claim 1 the further improvement being the thermal conductance of the metal raises the temperature of the slats entire surface area allowing heat transfer from non exposed surface areas.
 3. The collector as recited in claim 1 the further improvement being the number of slats added to allow for overlapping and shielding of the heat absorbing area increases the total surface area available for transfer of heat to inside room. 